Beth Wallace (Left) receives cheque representing a share in the SBOA New Owner Mentoring Program from SBOA President Anna Meyers. (New Image Photo)

Beth Wallace of Dundas, ON was the Grand Prize winner in the OSS Win the Thrill Contest finale on Grassroots Finals night at Mohawk Raceway, Oct. 1st.

A long-time horse lover and patron of Flamboro Downs for over 30 years, Wallace received a partnership share in the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario’s New Owner Mentoring Program. SBOA donated the share, for which the other nine members in the group have each shelled out $4500.

Headed by industry veteran Brian Webster, the group picked out its prospect for next year’s Ontario Sires Stakes at the Canadian yearling Sale, a $22, 000 Badlands Hanover colt now in training with Tony O’Sullivan.

A recent kidney transplant recipient, Wallace was elated by the win and credits her husband Mark with being the catalyst for her to enter the contest.

“It’s always been a dream of ours to own a couple of racehorses when we retired,” she said.

Win the Thrill’s First Runner-up was Corry Price from Centralia, ON. She won dinner for four at the OSS Gold Super Finals at Woodbine on Nov. 12th and one night’s hotel accommodation.

Finalists in the Contest had to qualify earlier in the season at a series of OSS events held at: Clinton Raceway, Flamboro Downs Georgian Downs, Grand River Raceway and Hiawatha Horse Park.

Mohawk fans were greeted at the front door by some of WEG’s regular drivers as a special feature of Grassroots Finals night. Scott Coulter, Phil Hudon, Sylvain Filion, Anthony Macdonald and Mark MacDonald handed out OSS promotional items, much to the delight of patrons.

A special area of the Mohawk lower grandstand area was reserved for the Win the Thrill finalists and their supporters who were feted all night with multiple draws and free merchandise.

COSA was one of the many industry organizations that supported the OSS promotion by donating prizes for the contest participants.

COSA President Bill O’Donnell also organized an informal meet-and- greet with some of the drivers involved in the evening’s program. Scott Coulter, Sylvain Filion, and Mark MacDonald joined Hall of Famers O’Donnell and Ron Waples in mingling with the Win the Thrill contestants and their guests.

The Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association (SBOA) has added some promotional punch to its long-time New Owner Mentoring Program. It’s contributing a share in this year’s group as Grand Prize for the recently-launched OSS “Win the Thrill” Contest.

Following qualifying rounds at Grassroots and Gold final events at Clinton, Flamboro, Georgian, Grand River, Hanover and Hiawatha, the Ownership Share Winner will be determined at Mohawk on Grassroots Finals night, October 1st.

The SBOA has been shepherding newcomers through the intricacies of harness horse ownership since 2005, in the hopes that many of them will get hooked on the sport. And don’t think it hasn’t worked.

Just ask Jamie Trott of Orangeville who has parlayed his initial SBOA foray into ownership heights still only dreamt of by most– having a contender in the Little Brown Jug. Piece of the Rock, owned by Trott and partners and trained by Bob Young, is now honing in on $400,000 in career earnings.

“And there’s so much more than just the horse side of it,” says Trott. “I’ve made a lot of really good friends through the program, some of them I own horses with today.”

Anthony Wagner is another of the program’s biggest boosters. He was in on a 2005 SBOA group with Lemon Drop, a trotter who banked well over $100,000 for his partnership. Today the Mississauga, ON resident owns parts of eight horses.

“I would truly say that I’m addicted to owning horses,” he says, “and everything to do with the horse industry.”

Wingham, ON residents Betty Ross and husband Jim are retired farmers who also entered the business through the Mentoring Program. Betty is a current partner in the program’s poster boy, Grin for Money, trained by John Kopas to current earnings of over $278,000.

“It’s been a real hoot,” she says. “When the race goes, we all get together in the grandstand. One guy is our cheerleader and we all yell for him.”

“We obviously love it, she adds, “We now have 11 horses including broodmares, foals and horses in training. ”
SBOA Director Liz Waples is this year taking over the role of Mentoring Program Co-ordinator from Tammy McNiven. She sees the interaction in the program as having a twofold benefit.

” It has not only been a success in terms of bringing new owners to the sport,” she says, “but also, I think, also from the perspective of the participating mentors and trainers who get to see the sport through new eyes.”

Each partnership consists of 9 new owners and a Mentor, who each contribute $4500, while SBOA provides a “forgivable loan” of $15,000.

Tony O’Sullivan will be the Trainer for this year’s partnership, and the group will be drawing on the long-time experience and expertise of Brian Webster as Mentor.

Further details and applications for the 2011 program are available now on the SBOA website.

The Ontario Sires Stakes program has an innovative new promotion underway where one lucky fan will get to experience the excitement and rewards of being a harness racing owner.

The Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association is donating a share in one of its New Owner Mentoring programs to a fan on Grassroots Final night, October 1st, at Mohawk Racetrack.

Qualifying rounds will be held at upcoming Grassroots and Gold Final events at the six participating racetracks. On each card, a “Win the Thrill” Race will be designated. One fan ballot will be drawn to represent each horse in the race, and the first five “finishers” will receive their share of a $100 “purse” in betting vouchers.

But every fan whose name is drawn will be eligible to attend the Grassroots Finals night at Mohawk, and to register to win a host of prizes, including the Grand Prize of a share in the SBOA New Owner Mentoring Program, worth $4500.

The “Win the Thrill” Grand Prize winner will be part of a group guided by trainer Tony O’Sullivan and mentor Brian Webster. The 2011 SBOA partnership will purchase an Ontario-sired yearling at either the Canadian Yearling Sale or the Forest City Yearling Sale.

In place since 2005, the SBOA New Owner Mentoring Program has enjoyed considerable success, including Grin For Money, winner of over $278,000 to date. More details on the SBOA Mentoring Program are available here.

The “Win the Thrill” promotion is in progress, with upcoming events at: